Mold for casting columnar building blocks



May 22, 1951 G. J. LEMM MOLD FOR CASTING COLUMNAR BUILDING BLOCKS Filed Dec. 10, 1946 INVENTOR. Gol /Aara JLem/D Patented May 22, 1951 s ren rarest MOLD FOR CASTING (ZOLUMNAR BUILDING BLOCKS 6 Claims.

This invention relates to molds or forms to be used in casting four-sided columnar building blocks which are adapted to fit together, side by side, when erected, to complete a continuous concrete wall, of the required height, having flat inside and outside surfaces, and provided with coordinated sealing grooves, along their contacting sides, into which a suitable sealing grout may be poured to formthe wall.

The objects of my invention are to produce a long mold for making such columnar building blocks, which ma be readily disassembled and transported to the building site, or other convenient place, and reassembled there so that the problem of transporting the finished columnar blocks without damage is eliminated; in which the inner and outer surfaces of the columnar blocks will be parallel and uniformly spaced; in which the block may be retained while the concrete is hardening, and which may be removed therefrom without damaging its beveled corners or other parts; which the molds for makingthe coordinated sealing grooves are firmly held in true, straight and exact positions and shape; in which such groove molds may be removed from the grooves without breaking the edges thereof; in which the molds may be provided with a suitable core to make such blocks hollow; and which may be arranged side by side so that a plurality of such blocks may be simultaneously cast.

In carrying out my invention I illustrate it as applied to columnar building blocks, such as that illustrated in Fig. l; to making a plurality of columnar molds, side by side, in one structure, or individually; to solid or hollow blocks; and to two different types of molds for forming the sealing grooves. in the sides of the columnar building blocks, namely, a mold of hollow or solid rubber.

I attain these and other objects by the devices, mechanisms and arrangements illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the adjacent side forms for two similar columnar building blocks to be cast side by side, and showing the hollow rubber molds for casting the sealing grooves; Fig. 2 is a plan view of one end thereof showing the means for expanding the hollow rubber mold by means of a fluid, and showing the end plate for two such molds; Fig. 3 is an end elevation of a part of the end plate thereof; Fig. 4 is a crosssection of the said end plate, showing the mold for the end transverse groove in the columnar building block; Figs. 5 and 6 are a plan and end elevation of the hollow rubber core or mold;

2 Figs. '7 and 8 are similar views of the solid rubber core or mold.

Similar numerals of reference refer to similar parts throughout t1 e several views.

Referring to the drawings, in Fig. 1 are shown two adjacent side forms it of two adjacent molds, each having a pair of grooves ii on their inward sides. These grooves 41 are adapted to receive rectangular wooden strips s2, to which are suitably cemented rubber hose t3 (Figs. 2, 3, 5, 6). These hose it pass through the end form M or the mold and are provided with unions 35 adapted to connect them each to a supply of fluid (not shown) in the pipe 46. The other end of the hose s3 is closed by suitable plugs. The above described hose 53 are adapted to form the cores to make the coordinated grooves in the contact edges or" adjacent columnar building blocks, to be filled by sealing grout when the wall is erected. When the concrete is to be poured in the molds, the water is turned on in the pipe fit, thus making the hose swell or expand so that the concrete will form around them. When the concrete has sufiiciently set, the water pressure is released and the unions are disconnected. As the pressure of the water is removed the hose 43 resume their normal size, thus permitting the strips 42 and the attached hose 43 to be removed endways, without injuring the sealing grooves thus formed in tlie sides of the columnar building blocks.

A variation of this method of forming the sealing grooves is shown in Figs. 7 and 8, in which the strip 32 and hose t3 are replaced by a molded length of fairly soft rubber ti having a rectangular base 43, with a slit 18 therein. This base s8 his in the groove l! and the bulb 4'! extends into the concrete space, and the concrete is poured around it. When the concrete is sufiiciently set, the end of the rubber is pulled, which causes it to be reduced in sectional dimensions sothat it is easily pulled out from the mold without harming in any way the groove formed thereby in the building block.

It will be noted that in both the above cases the rubber cores l3 and 47 are of such shape that the section adjacent the strip 22 or the base 68 is less than the maximum width of the core and that, therefore, the sealing grooves formed thereby in the columnar blocks being cast are of more or less "dove-tail shape, thereby adding to the strength of the bond between adjacent blocks. Also it will be observed that, under some conditions, the rubber being flexible, and soft, the said cores may be removed sideways or lengthwise as may be found convenient.

The side forms 40 are each provided with angled edge flanges 50 adapted to form bevels on the corners of the columnar building blocks. The adjacent forms 40 of two adjacent molds are braced together at suitable intervals by means of suitable upright pieces 5!.

The end forms 44 are provided with transverse pieces 52 (Figs. 2, 3, 4) adapted to form grooves at the top and bottom of the columnar blocks, for alinement purposes and for tying the tops of the consecutive blocks together by suitable means when they are erected, to form a continuous wall..

Thus it will be seen that I have invented molds for making columnar building blocks which will interlock and which are provided with coordinated grooves adapted to be filled with grout to form a continuous wall out of consecutive separate columnar building blocks of coordinated sections.

It is, of course, to be understood that many variations in the details of my invention may be made to suit the design of the building, and that suitable changes may be made to form special columnar blocks, such as, corner blocks, blocks for connecting partitions -to walls, blocks for making door posts, window frames and other parts, without departing from the spirit of my invention as outlined in the appended claims.

Having therefore, described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A mold for casting concrete columnar building blocks adapted to fit together to form a wall, comprising side forms of extended length and complementary sections; end forms; supplemental groove forms extending inward from said side forms, said groove forms being of greater width at the portion extending from said side forms than at their necks, or points of attachment to said side forms, whereby grooves having restricted necks or openings are formed in the concrete; and means forming a part of said side forms and cooperating with said groove forms, whereby said groove forms are held in position and are removable axially from said side forms without damage to the narrowed necks of the grooves thus formed.

2. A mold for castin concrete columnar building blocks adapted to fit together to form a wall, comprising side forms of extended length and complementary sections; end forms; complementary grooves formed in said side forms; removable strips in said grooves; hollow expandible groove for as secured to said strips said groove forms being of greater width at the portion extending inward from said strips than at their necks, or points of attachment to said strips; and means to expand said groove forms while the block is being cast.

3. A mold for casting concrete columnar building blocks adapted to fit together to form a wall, comprising side forms of extended length and complementary sections; end forms; complementary grooves extending the full length of said side forms; contractile groove forms based in said grooves in said side forms, said groove forms being of greater width at the portion extending inward from said side form grooves and adapted to form grooves in the columnar building block when cast thereover, said grooves, thus formed, having restricted necks or openings, said groove forms being adapted to contract in cross-section when tensed, whereby said groove forms may be removed axially from said building block without damage to the restricted necks of the grooves.

4. A mold for casting concrete columnar building blocks adapted to fit together to form a wall, comprising side forms of extended length and complementary sections; end forms adapted to form transverse grooves in the ends of said blocks; and supplemental complementary groove forms extending inward from and supported by said side forms, said groove forms being of greater width at the portion extending from said side forms than at their necks or points of attachment to said side forms, whereby grooves having restricted necks are formed in the concrete block.

5. A mold for casting columnar building blocks adapted to fit together to form a wall, comprising side forms of extended length and complementary sections; end forms; complementary grooves extending the full length of said side forms; groove forms composed of soft rubber based in said first grooves in said side forms and extending inward from said side forms, said groove forms being of greater width at the portion extending from said side form grooves, whereby grooves having restricted necks, or openings, are formed in the columnar building block when cast thereover, said groove forms being adapted to flex when being removed from said cast building block.

6. A mold for casting concrete columnar building blocks adapted to fit together to form a wall, comprising side forms of extended length and complementary sections; end forms; groove forms composed of soft rubber and extending inward from said side forms, said groove forms being of greater width at the portion extending from said side forms than at their necks or points of attachment to said side forms, whereby grooves having restricted necks are formed in the concrete, said groove forms being adapted to flex; and means for attaching said groove forms to said side forms.

GOTTHARD J. LEMM.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 858,192 Lucas June 25, 1907 1,113,387 Vaughn Oct. 13, 1914 1,125,986 Edington et al Jan. 26, 1915 1,214,431 Cothern Jan. 30, 1917 

